


Flicker of Light

by MelissaBosquez



Series: Savior Belle [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Belle is the Savior, F/M, Gen, Rumbelle - Freeform, season 1 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-24 20:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2595056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelissaBosquez/pseuds/MelissaBosquez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle comes to visit Mr. Gold in his shop and Gold has some surprising memories resurface. -- Part of my S1 AU in which Belle is the Savior and Gold doesn't have his memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flicker of Light

Belle French did not come to visit Mr. Gold’s shop on Friday or Saturday and Gold liked to keep it closed for business on Sunday’s. Not for any real reason other than he reserved that entire day for himself to be alone and wallow in his own self pity and misery. On this day however, he felt something akin to anticipation coursing through his vains at the thought of seeing her again.

When he showed up bright and early Monday morning to open up, his anxious waiting finally paid off when he discovered Belle waiting at the front door for him. He schooled his features so that his excitement would not be quite so evident, despite the fact that he admired the way she was leaned up against the building.

"A bit early aren’t we Ms. French?" he asked, moving past her to put the key in the door and unlock it.

"A little bit but I wanted to be sure that I would have plenty of time to have a look at things without too many customers in between," she finished with a smile and took a sip out of the Styrofoam coffee cup she held.

Gold laughed at the thought of having a busy day of customers. He hadn’t had more than one customer in his shop at a time in years. Let alone multiple people on the same day. The pawn shop was more of a hobby. If he had had to rely on its profits then he would have been bankrupt long ago. No, he made all of his money in his real estate properties.

"I hardly think that will be a problem my dear." He opened the door and the overhead Belle jingled as he motioned for her to step inside. She followed quickly and was immediately taken in by her surroundings. 

For a moment all she could do was marvel at her surroundings. So many things were catching her eye as she flitted around the display cases like a bee to a flower. Gold suppressed a grin as he closed the door and flipped the closed sign over. Belle was fingering a blue crystaled unicorn mobile at present and he carefully maneuvered next to her and leaned upon his cane.

"Ah yes. You have an eye for beauty I see. This piece dates back to the early turn of the century and is interlaced with blue crystal as well. Afraid it might be a bit out of your price range as well," he said and flipped over the old hand written price tag and Belle covered her reactionary gasp.

"I thought this was a pawn shop not Tiffany’s!" she joked and stepped away from the mobile, lest she touch it the wrong way and it all come crashing to the ground. Instead her eyes wandered to the far wall and the collection of first edition books lining the shelves.

Gold watched her with keen interest as she reverently brushed a hand across the spines of the books, cocking her head to the side to read off all of the titles. There was something endearing about the way she carefully selected one of the titles and caressed it within her hands like it were a lover. 

Once more Gold moved to her side as she slowly perused through the old yellowed pages. She had picked up a copy of the Grimm Brothers Fairytales and seemed to be carefully studying the print inside.

"A bit old for fairy tales, aren’t we Ms. French?" he questioned in jest.

Belle laughed and flipped her hair behind her back, sending the sweet scent of her perfume wafting through the air. It was interesting. Usually, perfumes and flowers provoked an allergic reaction from his body, one of the many reasons he rarely used any kinds of cologne, but the scent of Belle’s perfume was just right. It was jasmine and warmth and light and it reminded him of what coming home could feel like. He closed his eyes and took the sweet scent in. If Belle noticed she didn’t say anything and just continued to look through the pages.

"I do love books," she replied with a giggle. "Part of the reason why I was curious as to why the library was closed. Books are knowledge and that knowledge is power. No one should have that sort of power taken away from them. It’s not right," she finished quietly gripping the book in her palms so tightly that her knuckles were white.

Gold noticed this and gently took the book from her, fingers briefly brushing across her own.

"Perhaps, if you really did plan on settling down and planting your roots here, I could make a few inquiries on your behalf. I happen to be a powerful man, Ms. French. I’m sure we could figure something out."

Gold had no idea why he felt like he needed to keep Belle in this withering small town but there was a piece inside of him that kept telling him that the woman with the sad ocean blue eyes needed his protection. Besides, if he were able to sway the town council (like he knew he could) into reopening the library, it would be another thing he could stick to Mayor Mills in their extensive history of one upping the other.

"You’re going to help me get this library?" she asked skeptically.

"How about we make a deal of it, dearie? You see, deals and contracts are what I truly peddle in. What do you say I do some poking around and see what can be done about getting the library open with you as its new head librarian, that is if you still feel like calling Storybrooke your home?"

Belle smiled at him gently. “You’re doing all this for me?”

A flash of light shot across Mr. Gold’s mind, momentarily blinding him. He closed his eyes and placed the hand not holding his can to his forehead as a slight pain began to form within.

_He could see Belle, but she wasn’t really Belle. She was wearing a golden dress that looked like she had just stepped out of a costume ball and she spun around the a large room, gasping at all of the books on the wall._

_"Did you do all this for me?" the faux Belle asked._

_It was then that Gold realized that she wasn’t alone. A man, at least he thought it was a man, accompanied her. His scaly green claws pointed at her as he reponded in a seemingly teasing tone._

_"I better not see a single speck of dust!" Came the high pitched reply._

Then just like that the vision broke into a million pieces, shattering in his mind. He shook his head lightly and realized there were beads of sweat upon his brow. Belle was looking at him concerned and at some point had placed a hand upon his shoulder. He quickly pushed away from her, unsure of what had just happened to him.

Had that been a dream? Who was the green man and why was Belle there?

"Mr. Gold are you going to be okay? You’re not looking well. Perhaps you should sit down," Belle said and slowly inched towards him again, one hand cautiously reaching out for him.

"I’m fine," he brushed her off again. The headache slowly began to fade in the background once more.

Belle frowned like she didn’t believe him and wanted to do more but she didn’t press the issue. “In return for your help with the library, what would you require in return?” she asked, directing him back to their earlier conversation.

"A favor. I’m not sure of the nature at this moment, but in the future, if I were to require your assistance then you must do as I ask of you."

Belle gently chewed her bottom lip in contemplation. “I’m not going to have to help you bury a body or something will I?”

Gold laughed at that, a deep booming sound that reverberated off the walls. “No, my dear. I can assure you that whatever I ask will be perfectly legal.”

She considered it for another moment and held out her hand to him. “Deal.”

Gold took her outstretched palm in his own. “Deal.”

Belle smiled warmly at him and then proceeded to look around the shop for about another half an hour with Gold explaining to her various pieces and their histories, before excusing herself to leave. She continued to give him lingering looks, even as she was walking out the door but Gold showed no more outward indications of the war that was waging in his head.

What the hell was that?


End file.
